Hide.me is a well-designed VPN client that offers good privacy security and performance, with a 2GB/month free plan and great speeds.

The VPN is owned by a Malaysia-based company that claims a strict no-logging policy, no data sharing with third parties, and allows you to connect with one click to its servers.

Its design is compact and has a Limit Connectivity feature that disables local network connectivity, albeit optionally, while the VPN is connected. Overall, its service stands out as a solid and reliable VPN.

But what do you do when you install Hide.me VPN, and it won’t connect? Here are some causes and solutions to remedy the Hide.me VPN won’t connect problem.

1. Check that you entered the correct user name

A wrong user name can mean that Hide.me VPN won’t connect. Instead of entering your user information by copy and pasting it, key in each character so that you’re sure of the spacing as well.

Check date and time settings on Windows

Click the status area of the taskbar

Click Settings.

Scroll to the bottom of the Settings page and click Show advanced settings

Use the Date and time section of the Settings page to change the settings

Check if you can connect Hide.me VPN again

2. Disable firewall

If Hide.me VPN won’t connect, the issue could be with your firewall, like the port filter rules and other underlying causes. To resolve this, disable the software firewall and try connecting again with the VPN’s server.

Once you establish a connection, then that means the firewall may be blocking the network traffic from the VPN tunnel.

To fix the firewall issue, do this:

Allow PPTP and L2TP connections if the computer is behind a router

Allow IPsec IKEv1/IKEv2 connections if the computer is not behind a router

Create a firewall rule that allows traffic to the Hide.me site

Note: We recommend Private Internet Access as a VPN tool that is highly compatible with Windows systems and has great functionalities.

This VPN service developed by Kape Technologies has 3300 servers around the world in over 46 countries, allowing you the best conditions to secure yourself.

3. Check if you can reach the server

Right click Command Prompt from the search results and select Run as administrator

Type the command: ping nl.hide.me (this is an example if using Netherlands server)

Note: This will help you check if you can reach the server through ping.

4. Check router settings

Some routers can deliberately block VPN connections or by default. To resolve this, open the web interface or your router’s control panel and check whether it allows VPN connections.

Some of the commonly used formulations for configuring these settings include PPTP/IPsec/L2TP passthrough.

5. Check that Hide.me is correctly set up

Sometimes the Hide.me VPN won’t connect due to an error in some individual steps when installing the VPN on your device. Check whether you followed each step properly, and if not, do it again exactly as the instructions are given.

If you still have an issue with installation, contact their support team.

6. Incorrect VPN logoff

When Hide.me VPN won’t connect, it could be because your previous connection wasn’t logged off or closed properly. Usually, only one established conn ection can be used on Hide.me servers per account simultaneously.

Check the members area for an overview of the active connections and any existing ones and log off properly then try connecting again.

7. ISP blocks

Sometimes your internet service provider (ISP) can block some internet protocols making it hard for VPN connections to be established. If this is your case, test all the possible protocols and check with your ISP for further troubleshooting.

8. Geo-restrictions and blocks

Certain countries like China, and others, are known for filtering internet traffic and specific protocols, thereby causing VPN connections not to be established.

This happens mostly where there are geo-restrictions (location-based), but Hide.me usually provides most protocols to counter these barriers.

9. Uninstall and reinstall the application

If all else fails and you’re still unable to connect Hide.me VPN, do a reinstall of the application. You can go to the download section and click install on the set up file instead of having to download it all over again. Or get a fresh download and install it.

Were you able to fix the Hide.me VPN won’t connect issues using these troubleshooting points? Let us know in the comments section below.

FAQ: Learn more about Hide.me connectivity issues

How do I connect to Hide.me VPN?

In order to connect to Hide.me simply download and install the hide.me app on your device, log in with your hide.me credentials and enable it.

Why can’t I connect to my VPN?

If you can’t connect to a VPN, then the main issues may be the settings provided by your ISP.

How does Hide.me VPN work?

Like all VPNs, Hide.me works by creating a secure tunnel using powerful VPN protocols.

This allows it to hide your original IP behind one of its own and encrypts all the communication that passes through the secure tunnel, thus enabling anonymous web surfing.

Editor’s Note:This post was originally published in July 2018 and has been since revamped and updated in May 2020 for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.